The present invention relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine and more particularly to a method for adjusting injected fuel based on a prediction of air entering a cylinder for future induction events.
Engine starting control has a significant impact on engine emissions. Conventional methods use several different approaches to start an engine. Some approaches use fixed fuel injection values based on empirical testing, while others read sensors and attempt to calculate fueling based on the current state of the sensor information
One method to adjust fuel during an engine start is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,986. This apparatus provides a start timing fuel injection controlling apparatus for an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection is performed in synchronism with an intake stroke of each cylinder in starting the internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of cylinders. The apparatus counts a total number of fuel injections in all the cylinders from a start of an operation of the engine. It advances by a predetermined period a fuel injection start timing when the count is equal to or more than a predetermined number.
The inventors herein have recognized several disadvantages of this approach. Namely, the approach focuses simply on changing when the fuel injection is performed, but does not recognize that air quantity changes for each cylinder during a start depending on injection count. Therefore, the above-mentioned approach does not fuel the engine as accurately as possible since the air that actually enters the cylinders changes throughout the engine start and depends on when the fuel injection is first started, as well as various other parameters. In addition, the above-mentioned approach does not predict future engine events, which also reduces fueling accuracy. Yet another disadvantage of the before-mentioned approach is that it does not have the ability to adapt to engine wear or manufacturing variation.
In accordance with the present invention a method that accurately predicts an engine air amount during start is presented. The method comprises: counting a number of cylinders receiving at least one fuel injection from a start of an operation of the internal combustion engine; and calculating an estimated engine air quantity based on said counted number of cylinders, and adjusting delivered fuel based on said estimated engine air quantity. This method can be used to reduce the above-mentioned limitations of the prior art approaches.
By estimating an engine air quantity based on a number of cylinders receiving at least one fuel injection, it is possible to accurately determine the amount of air in the engine and thereby provide an appropriate quantity of fuel, even as the air is changing during a start.
In other words, from the first cylinder to receive fuel and the number of cylinder firings per revolution it is possible to predict when the first fueled cylinder and subsequent cylinders will fire. During a start, the fired cylinders produce a large engine acceleration. The acceleration in turn increases the piston speed of other cylinders in the engine. For cylinders on their intake stroke, inducting air, the acceleration increases the rate of pressure drop in the cylinder. This causes increased flow from the intake manifold into the cylinder during induction, resulting in evacuation of the intake manifold and a corresponding change in engine air amount. Therefore, by keeping track of the number of fuel injections, the corresponding change in engine air amount can be predicted. Also, given similar starting conditions such as barometric pressure, air temperature, and engine temperature, an engine will fire and induct air in a consistent manner. Consequently, engine air quantity measurements from past starts can be used to accurately predict future engine air amounts, and therefore factors such as engine wear can be taken into account.
It is possible to derive engine position and expected cylinder firing using many alternatives. Counting individual injections is one method, but some starting strategies use multiple injections per cylinder to start an engine. Therefore, the number of injections exceed the number of cylinder events, however it is still a simple matter to determine when the engine will fire because engine position can still be determined. For this reason, it is not important what engine position related parameter is counted, but it is important to count an engine parameter that allows the engine controller to determine engine position during a start.
The present invention provides the advantage of improved air/fuel control during engine starting, resulting in lower emissions. This advantage is especially advantageous when a catalyst is cold and its efficiency is low.
Note that there are various approach to identifying engine starting. For example, the engine start can be the period between when an engine begins turning under the power of a starter, until it is rotating at or above a desired idle speed. Alternative, the engine start can refer to engine cranking and run-up. Still another approach A to identifying engine starting is the period beginning from key-on until a desired engine speed/load is reached.
The above advantages and other advantages, objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.